I now feel that I am building up a picture of William and his movements with the 33rd. An online resource states that after the 33rd returned to the UK in January 1816, they were kept on the march for the next four years between Sunderland, Nottingham, Hull and Portsmouth where half of the Regiment went to Guernsey, Stirling, Glasgow, Ulster and Dublin. On a Rootchat forum, someone referred to the fact that the regiment marched all the way! Like you said, after that they were sent to the West Indies.

Please forgive my ignorance, but prior to this, I had very little knowlede of this. I was in Belgium a couple of years ago (on a World War 1 100 year research trip) and would have visited if I had know this then. I have read that the battle was never fought at Waterloo though. I am trying so hard to understand it all. I found a source that suggested that he may have spent some time standing guard at Windsor Castle.

William is showing on the Sunderland Muster but not the Hull Musters which cover a year on the Ancestry record set. He didn't die there as on the Regimental Register record he re-enlisted in 1818. He is also serving as a corporel in 1823 but where?

The Sunderland reference was an excellent clue as it led me to finding out more about John Shaw who enlisted with William. I have a feeling they enlisted together and were either related or close friends. I now know that John was discharged at Sunderland on the 22nd July 1816. He is recorded on the Hull musters as 'Invalid Chatham' or it could be another John Shaw as there were two.

When Googling Sunderland Barracks 33rd regiment, I found a website that proves that John Shaw's Waterloo medal was sold at auction on 25th March 2015. The information reads: John Shaw was born in the parish of Masham, and enlisted in the 33rd Foot on 3rd May 1811 aged 21 years. He was discharged at Sunderland on 22nd July 1816 in consequence of a gun shot wound of left leg received in the Battle of Waterloo sixteenth June 1816. He died at Masham on 18th June 1868 aged 81. Sold with copied discharge papers.

There was an image of the Waterloo Medal which I was pleased to see and to know that my William received the same. I would have been over the moon to find his medals at auction but not sure I would pay the recommended 2,500-3,000 for it!

What I would like to know is did there wives and families follow them or did they stay at home? I ask this as I cannot trace is wife. I have traced his daughter and possible his son.

Great that his Waterloo Medal is out there and that you have a picture of it...next best thing to having it.

The Battle of Waterloo (as opposed to the Waterloo Campaign), was fought over one day about 3 miles to the south of the village of Waterloo, in the vicinity of Mont Saint Jean and French accounts (and some allied accounts) do refer to the location as Mont St Jean rather than Waterloo. It is a vast subject and certainly not one I can describe in a few lines. In very simple terms, The Duke of Wellington formed his allied army along a ridge line, with Plancenoit to his left flank and Braine-l’Alleud to his right flank. The Duke formed his HQ in Waterloo village and, after the battle, wrote his dispatch (described the events) there and so his dispatch (sent by a rider to the Prince Regent at Windsor) bore the Waterloo village name and so - the battle became “Battle of Waterloo”.

I've little to add to individuals details about your ancestor. He was slightly wounded in the 1815 campaign. I have a note that lists him as a Corporal in (from?) 19th Sept 1813. I've a bit of material on the post war home service of the 33rd that I hope to see published in the future.